Kerstin Ott

Born in 1982 in West Berlin and raised in Heide in northern Germany, Kerstin Ott initially developed her musical practice alongside her professional life, ranging from evenings as an amateur DJ to compositions written for people around her. Rooted in the tradition of German pop and Schlager, she blends direct melodies, autobiographical lyrics and dance influences, with a prominent role for acoustic guitar and songwriting focused on everyday life, relationships and identities. The online spotlight on one of her tracks in the mid-2010s marked a turning point toward a full-time career, followed by numerous appearances on major popular stages and televised music shows in Germany. She went on to release a series of studio albums — including “Herzbewohner” (2016), “Mut zur Katastrophe” (2018), “Ich muss dir was sagen” (2019) and “Nachts sind alle Katzen grau” (2021) — which firmly established her mix of contemporary Schlager, sentimental pop and danceable rhythms. Openly lesbian, Kerstin Ott also addresses family and romantic configurations in her songs that reflect her own trajectory, adding a personal dimension to her repertoire.